Dispensing cap



June 7, 1955 c. sToDDARD 2,710,118

DISPENSING CAP Filed Feb. 5, 1954 /0 maf/ Quim: E

CRA/G sT DDARD MWA/f DISPENSING CAP Craig Stoddard, Wilmette, Ill.

Application February 5, 1954, Serial No. 408,409

13 Claims. (Cl. 222-266) This invention is a dispensingcap for use inconnection with containers such as jars, cans, and the like, and isoperable to dispense predetermined, measured quantities of powdered orgranular material from such containers.

One object of the invention is to provide a dispensing means of thecharacter described wherein the measured quantity of material to bedispensed may be varied within predetermined limitations.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a dispensing apparatusof the character described, a plunger provided with pluralmaterial-receiving chambers or compartments, and wherein the dispensingcap is provided with a plurality of filling openings for the plunger,the plunger being movable so that any desired number ofmaterial-receiving chambers in the plunger may be placed in registrationwith a corresponding number of filling openings in the cap.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a dispensing apparatusof the character described, a cap provided with plural, circular seriesof filling openings and a reciprocable plunger mounted on the cap andhaving a plurality of material-receiving chambers so positioned that inone longitudinal position of the plunger, the same may be rotated aboutan axis passing through the cap to selectively bring into registrationwith a desired number of compartments in the plunger, a correspondingnumber of iilling apertures in the cap, to thereby vary the number ofcompartments lled and thus vary the measured amount of material to bedispensed at each operation of the plunger.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent fromreading the following specification in the light of the accompanyingdrawings wherein there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention,

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the invention, with the parts thereofshown in perspective.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the invention with the plunger in dischargingposition,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 4 with the plunger in its normalfilling position,

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, and

Figs. 7, 8, 9, and are diagrammatic views showing the relative positionof the iilling apertures and chambers in various positions of theplunger.

In the accompanying drawing like reference numerals are used todesignate like parts throughout.

The dispensing cap of the present invention may be made of metal orsynthetic resin or any suitable, moldable material, but it is preferableto make it of a transparent or semi-transparent material such as Luciteor Vinylite. The invention comprises a base member indicated generallyat 1, said base member comprising a plate-like member 2 having adepending, peripheral ange 3. The

" nited States Patent A 2,710,118 Patented June 7, 1955 ICE:

ange 3, as clearly shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, may be interiorlythreaded as at 4 so that the base member and associated parts may beapplied to the discharge opening of a container such as a jar or can,not shown. It will be understood that while the plate 2 has been shownprovided with the linteriorly threaded flange 3, the invention mayinclude the plate 2 without an integral llange 3 as. shown, but in lieuthereof a separate ring element, internally threaded, may be employed asis conventional in closures, etc. f

The plate 2 is provided with a plurality of filling openings orapertures 5 and 6, more clearly shown in Fig. 2, and as indicated moreclearly in the diagrammatic views, 7, 8, 9 and 10, the openings 5 and 6are arranged in circular series, for a purpose to be described laterherein.

There is provided a cover member indicated generally Y at7 which ismounted for rotation on the base member 1.

The cover member is provided with a laterally directed opening 8.Mounted within the cover member 7 is a plunger member 9, said plungermember being provided with a plurality of material-receiving chambers orcompartments 10-10 and 10-10. The compartments 1li-10 and 10-10 arearranged in pairs and disposed symmetrically with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the plunger 9. The plunger is mounted within anupstanding hollow portion of the cover 7 as shown in Figs.

,4 and -5, and the dimensions of the plunger member 9 are designed sothat the plunger may be reciprocated longitudinally within the covermember. The plunger member 9 is provided with a finger portion 11 whichas shown in Figs. l and 5 normally projects through thel opening 8 ofthe cover member so that the plunger may be reciprocated within thecover member by pressure of an operators finger thereon. As shown inFigs. 5 and l6, the cross-sectional dimensions and contours of theplunger 9 are designed to make a snug, sliding t with the inner wall ofthe cover member 7. Thus, the plunger 9 is provided with partitions 12which slidingly engage the inner wall surfaces 13 of the cover member.The plunger member 9 is enclosed within the cover member 7, and withinthe plunger-receiving compartment thereof, by separate bottom wallmember indicated generally in Fig. 2 by the reference character 14. Thebottom wall member 14 is provided with upstanding, lateral edges 15which fit within a recess 16 provided in the cover member 7, and theinner surfaces of said wall member are contoured to correspond to thecontours of the partition members 12 of the plunger 9 as clearly shownin Fig. 6. The separate wall member 14 is provided with a pin or stubshaft 17 by which the cover member with its assembled plunger member 9and bottom wall member 14 may be mounted upon `the base member 1 forrotation with the pin or shaft 17 threaded through a central aperture 18in the base member 1. The parts may be thus retained in assembledrelation by applying a suitable securing collar 19 to the free end ofshaft 17 by a set screw, not shown. A spring washer 20 may be interposedbetween the collar 19 and the underface of the plate 2 of the base 1 asclearly shown in the sectional views 4, 5, and 6. The plunger member 9is biased to projected position as shown in Fig. 5 by coil spring 21positioned between the rear end of the plunger 9 and an opposed wall ofthe cover member 7. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the spring 21 may bemaintained in proper position by a projection 22 on the rear end of theplunger 9 and a socket or recess 23 in the rear wall of the cover member7.

The separate wall member 14 is provided with a plurality of openings orapertures 24 in its bottom portion, said apertures being positionedsymmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof and to liein registry with the material-receiving compartments 10-10, 10-10 of theplunger 9 when the latter is in its normal projected position as shownin Fig. 5, When the plunger9,y and the spring 21 are assembled withinthe cover member 7, the separate wall member 14 may be placed inposition as shown and secured therein by any desired means such as theapplication of adhesive, not shown, around the meet.- ing edges of saidwall member and the abutting surfaces ofthe cover member 7, so that thecover member and the separate wall member 14 form within the covermember a plunger-receiving compartment within which the plunger 9 islongitudinally reciprocable transversely of the axis of rotation of thecover member, which axis passes through the pin or shaft 17.

As previously mentioned, the lling apertures 5 and 6 in the plate-likemember 2 of the base member 1 are arranged each in a circular series,These circular series are concentrically arranged in respect to the axisof rotation of the cover member 7 and the enclosed plunger 9. With thisin mind, the compartments or chambers 10--10 and 10,-1l)' of the plunger9 are arranged in denite, predetermined relation, namely', they arepositioned longitudinaily of the plunger 9 in a manner such that whenthe plunger is in normal projected position as shown in Fig. 5, thedistances that the compartments 10-10 and 10'710 are displaced from theaxis of rotation of the cover 7 are equal, respectively, to the radii ofthe circular series of lling openings 5 5, 6 6. As previously stated,the openings 24 in the separate wall member 14 are positioned to bealways in registration with the charnbers 1li-1t) and ity-40 when theplunger is in the position shown in Fig. 5. Thus, it is apparent that asthe cover 7 and plunger 9 are rotated as a unit about the axis ofrotation passing through the pin 17, any desired number of the openingsl24 of the separate wall member i4 and the aligned compartments 1li-10,10' -10' of the plunger may selectively be placed in registration with acorresponding number of the filling openings 5--5, 6-6 as shown inthe-diagrammatic views 7 to 10 inclusive. Referring more particularly tothe diagrammatic views 7 through 10, it will be noted that the openings5 and 6 are shown in full lines, whereas the openings 24 are illustratedin dotted lines, and where one or more openings are in registration, thecross-sectional area of the registered openings is shown stippled. Thus,in Fig. 7', one opening 24 is aligned with one opening 6, as shown bythe stippled area 25. By relatively rotating the cover member 7 through90, the apertures assume the position shown in Fig. 8 wherein two of theapertures 24 are in registration, respectively, with an aperture 6 andan aperture 5, as shown by the stippled areas 26. In Fig. 9, the partsare shown after a further rotation of the cover member 90 in acounterclockwise direction, as the result of which, three of theapertures 24 are brought into registration with selected apertures 5 and6 to provide three such registered openings as shown at 27. In Fig. 10,the cover is shown in the position after a further rotation of 90 as theresult of which all four openings 24 have been brought into registrationwith a similar number of filling openings, there being two of theopenings 6 and two of `the openings 5 in registration with the openings2.4 as shown by the four stippled areas 28.

Having in mind that the openings 24 in the separate wall member 14 arealways in registration with the respective compartments iii-i and 10-10of the plunger when the plunger is in its normally projected position asshown in Fig. 5, it is apparent that by selectively placing one, two,three, or four of the openings in registration with a correspondingnumber of the lling openings and/or 6, a corresponding number of thecompartments 1tl*i0, 16*1t} may be llled simultaneously.

In order to discharge the contents of any filled compartments, the covermember '7 is provided with discharge opening means 29, said openings, asshown in Fig. 4, being in alignment with the respectivematerialreceiving compartments iii-10, 14T- 10' of the plunger 9. Thus,regardless of how many of the compartments 4 10710, lffltl' have beenfilled, all of the lled cornpartments may simultaneously be dischargedby movement of the plunger 9 to the position shown in Fig. 4 wherein allof the plunger compartments are in registration with the dischargeopenings 29 of the cover.

in order to maintain the cover member and the base member when assembledin snug nesting relationship, the base member 1 may be provided with aperipheral, annular shoulder 30 within which a depending peripheral edge31 of the cover member 7 may seat. if the plate member 2 of the flangeor ring 3 are made separately as previously suggested, the annularshoulder 30 may be provided on the separate ring member.

In order to give to an operator the proper indication as to how many ofthe compartments 1li-d0, 11)' 10 and the aligned openings 24 in theseparate wall member 14 are in registration with filling openings 5and/or 6 of the base member, the base member may be provided with anarrow such as 32, and the cover member may be provided with cooperatingindicia such as 33 so that when the arrow is in alignment with one ofthe index elements 33, an operator may know that there are one, two,three, or four of the plunger compartments in position to be lled.

In conclusion, it is apparent from the foregoing speciiication that thenovel dispensing cap herein disclosed comprises a trap chamber plungermember mounted for reciprocation and rotation on a base member andwherein the trap plunger may be selectively positioned in respect to adesired number of lilling openings, so that a corresponding number ofchambers provided in the plunger may be simultaneously filled and theplunger then moved to a position to simultaneously discharge all of theiilled chambers. it will, of course, be understood that the dispensingcap is secured to the mouth or discharge opening of a jar or similarcontainer having a quantity of granular or powdered material therein,and that the said material may be dispensed by inverting the containerso that the contents thereof are in contact with the underside of theplate-like member 2 of the dispensing cap so that the contentssof thecontainer may readily pass through such of the apertures 5 and 6 as arein registration with selected openings 24 and aligned compartments 10,-10, 10-t1;0', as described.

It will be understood that the invention as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings is for the purpose of eX- ample only and that suchchanges may be made in the size and proportion of all parts withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, which is set forth moreparticularly in the-appended claims.

l claim:

l. A dispensing cap for containers comprising a base member providedwith a plurality of lling apertures in a fixed pattern, a cover membermounted on said base member for rotation about an axis generallyperpendicular to the plane of the base member, a plunger positionedbetween the base member and the cover member, said plunger beingoperatively connected with the cover member for rotation therewith, saidplunger being also mountd for longitudinal reciprocation transversely ofthe axis of rotation of the cover member, said plunger being providedwith a plurality of chambers in a second iixed pattern and arranged sothat when the plunger is in a predetermined longitudinal position, aselected number of said chambers may, by rotation of the cover memberand plunger, be placed in registration with a corresponding number ofsaid filling apertures, and discharge opening means provided in saidcover member with which all of the chambers are in registration when theplunger is moved to another predetermined longitudinal position.

2. The dispensing cap described in claim 1 wherein said filling openingsin the base member include a circumferentially-spaced circular series ofopenings, and wherein certain of said chambers in `the plunger aredisplaced from the axis of rotation of said cover member when the arianeplunger is in said first-mentioned, predetermined position, a distancecorresponding to the radius of said circular series of openings in thebase member, said circular series of openings being disposedconcentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the cover member.

3. The dispensing cap described in claim l wherein the filling aperturesin the base member comprise plural, concentric,circumferentially-spaced, circular series of apertures, and wherein thechambers in said plunger include chambers which, when the plunger is insaid firstmentioned longitudinal position, are displaced from the axisof rotation of said cover member distances corresponding, respectively,to the radii of said concentric eircular series of apertures.

4. The dispensing cap described in claim 2 wherein the chambers providedin said plunger are arranged in the plunger symmetrically with respectto the longitudinal axis thereof.

5. The dispensing cap described in claim 3 wherein the chambers providedin said plunger are arranged in pairs, spaced longitudinally of theplunger, and wherein the chambers of each pair are symmetricallydisposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the plunger.

6. A dispensing cap comprising a base member provided with a pluralityof filling apertures in a fixed pattern, a cover member mounted on saidbase member for rotation, means defining a plunger-receiving chamberwithin said cover member, a plunger mounted within said chamber forlongitudinal reciprocation therein transversely of the axis of rotationof the cover member, said plunger being provided with a plurality ofchambers, the wall of the plunger-receiving chamber being provided withopenings in a second fixed pattern which, in one predetermined positionof the plunger are respectively in registration with the chambers of theplunger, said cover member bcing provided with discharge opening meanswith which all of said plunger chambers are in registration in anotherpredetermined position of said plunger, the first and second fixedpatterns being such that a selected number of said openings may beplaced in registration with a corresponding number of the iillingapertures in said base member by rotation of the cover member on saidbase member, said openings in said Wall of the plungerreceiving chamberbeing out of registration with the trap chambers in said otherpredetermined position of the plunger.

7. The dispensing cap described in claim 6 wherein the wall of theplunger-receiving chamber having said openings is provided with a pinwhich extends through a central aperture in the base member, and meanson said pin for securing the base member and cover member together forrotation about an axis passing through said pin.

8. The dispensing cap described in claim 6 wherein the base member isprovided with an annular, peripheral shoulder and wherein the covermember is provided with a depending, peripheral edge portion embracingsaid shoulder whereby to maintain the members in proper alignment forrotation.

9. A dispensing cap provided with plural circular series of fillingapertures, a reciprocating plunger having plural chambers thereinmounted on said cap for rotation about an axis generally perpendicularto the plane of the cap,

said chambers being longitudinally spaced along said plunger so thatwhen the plunger is in one predetermined position, said chambers aredisplaced from the axis of rotation distances equal, respectively, tothe radii of said circular series of apertures, said filling aperturesand said trap chambers being arranged in fixed patterns whereby aselected number of said chambers in the plunger may be placed inregistration with a corresponding number of filling apertures in the capby rotation of the plunger with respect to the cap, and discharge meansin said cap for simultaneously discharging the contents of all of saidchambers when the plunger is moved to another predetermined position,said trap chambers and said iilling apertures being out of registrationin said second mentioned predetermined position of said plunger.

l0. A dispensing cap comprising a plate member having a series of illingapertures in a first fixed pattern therein, a cover member mounted onthe plate member for rotation, a plunger mounted between the platemember and cover member for reciprocation transversely of the axis ofrotation of the cover member, a plurality of open ended compartments ina second fixed pattern provided in said plunger and disposed therein sothat the respective open ends of a selected number of said compartmentsmay be positioned in registration with a corresponding number of saidiilling apertures in the plate member when the cover member is rotatedon said plate member with the plunger in one predetermined, longitudinalposition and discharge means provided in said cover member forsimultaneously discharging all of said compartments when the plunger ismoved to another predetermined, longitudinal position, said compartmentsand said filling apertures being out of registration in said otherpredetermined position of the plunger.

ll. The dispensing cap described in claim l0 wherein means are providedfor biasing the plunger to said firstmentioned, predetermined,longitudinal position, and wherein the plunger is provided with meansaccessible from the exterior of the cover member for moving the plungerto said second-mentioned, predetermined, longitudinal position againstthe force of said biasing means.

l2. The dispensing cap described in claim 9 wherein the pattern of thecircular series of filling apertures such that they are disposedconcentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the cover.

13. A dispensing cap comprising a base member, a trap chamber memberprovided with a plurality of trap chambers arranged in a predeterminedpattern, said base member being provided with plural filling aperturesarranged in a second predetermined pattern, means mounting the trapchamber member and said base member for relative movement, said patternsbeing such that a selected number of said `trap chambers may be placedin registration with a like number of filling apertures, and means forsimultaneously discharging the contents of all trap chambers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS315,782 Herrick Apr. 14, 1885

